Control for agricultural field harvesting implements



March 13, 1951 J. L. AASLAND 2,544,911

CONTROL FOR AGRICULTURAL FIELD HARVESTING IMPLEMENTS Filed March 27, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l R Q? \h m km W tfokfiz lafaissiczrzaf.

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March 13, 1951 J. L. AASLAND 2,544,911

CONTROL FOR AGRICULTURAL FIELD HARVESTING IMPLEMENTS Filed March 27, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 13, 1951 CONTROL FOR AGRICULTURAL FIELD HARVESTING IMPLEMENTS John Aasland, Moline, 111., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 27, 1947, Serial No. 737,679

invention relates to new and improved controls for agricultural fieldharvesting implements and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means for automatically disengagin g .a wagon elevator drive when the forward end Jiff the implement is raised at the end of a row .to effect. turning thereof.

An important object of this invention is to provide controlmeans for corn picking machines wherein the raising of the corn gathering points automatically eifects disengagement of a clutch controlling the drive of the wagon elevator associated with the corn picker. 7

Another important object of this invention is to provide an automatic clutch throwout of corn piclser discharge elevators upon raising of the gathering points and in combination therewith req'iiiring a manual release for reengagement of theiclutch after the gathering points have been lowered.

Qllfurther object of this invention is to provide a lateh mechanism associated with a throwout clifitch which efiects a locking of the clutch in disengaged position and which latch must be manually released to eifect reengagement of the cliijtch elements.

still further object of this invention is to providje a control lever for corn pickers or the like which causes raising'and lowering of the corn gathering-units and simultaneously effects a disengagement of an associated wagon elevator upon raising of the points but is prevented by releasable}v latch means associated with the lever from causing reengagement of theclutch when the gathering points are lowered.

Other and further important objects-of this invention will become apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings in which: t

- Figure l is a partial side elevational view of the device of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view forming a continuation of the view shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the clutch throwout mechanism as employed in the device shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of this invention; v, V.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the device as shown in Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the clutch throwout mechanism as employed iu'thedevice of Fig+ are 4 Claims. (01. 56-10) As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral It! indicates generally a longitudinally extending narrow body chassis of an agricultural type tractor. The rear of the tractor is equipped with relatively large widely spaced traction wheels I l mounted on an axle I2. A seat I 3 is provided for the tractor operator and the controls for trail-behind field implements are positioned closely adjacent this operators seat.

A power take-01f shaft I4 is provided at the rear of the tractor and a drive shaft 15 connected by a universal joint IE to the power take-off shaft I4 carries the rotational drive rearwardly, as best shownin Figure 2, through a telescoping sleeve i'i' over the drive shaft l5 and to a universal joint 18. The drive shaft 15 and sleeve I! have corresponding cross-sectional shapes to effect a carrying of rotational drive from one to the other. The telescoping of the drive shaft l 5 within the sleeve I'l also permits variations in the spacing of the tractor and trail-behind implement. The universal joint I8 is connected at its other side to a shaft l9 which imparts rotational drive into a gear housing 20.

The tractor is provided with a draw-bar 2| at its rear and is adapted to receive forwardly extending hitch frames from trail-behind implements. A hitch frame 22 of a trail-behind corn picker and harvester is shown resting on the draw-bar 2i and having a pin 23 looking the two members together. As best shown in Figure 2, the hitch frame 22 extends rearwardly to its point .of rigid connection with a wheeled truck 24. The truck 24 is provided with a transverse axle 25 and spaced wheels 26 preferably having pneumatic tires. A vertical post member 21 is affixed to the wheeled truck 24 and at its upper end pivotally carries the rear portion 28 of the corn harvester 29 about the shaft 30. The forward portion or harvester units and gathering point 3| are supported by a vertically adjustable member 32. A bell-crank 33 is pivoted at 34 on the hitch frame 22 and consists of arms 35 and 36. The arm 36 directly engages the lifting member 32 and hence upon rotation of the bell-crank 33 about its pivot 34, the gathering points 3| of the corn picker 29 are raised or lowered. The pivot point 34 is positioned intermediate the ends of the arm 35, thereupon dividing that arm into an upper portion 31 and a lower portion 38.

A quadrant 39 is fixedly mounted on the hitch frame 22 at the forward end thereof. The upper surface of the quadrant is provided with a plurality of notches 40; A hand lever M is pivotally attached to the quadrant 39 at 42 and is provided with a vertically movable latch member 43 adapted to engage the notches 4i] and thereupon hold the lever in any desired position. The latch moves vertically in an elongated slot 44. Movement of the latch is effected by a hand lever or latch operator 45 pivotally mounted at 46 in the upper end of the lever arm 4|. The link 41 extends downwardly from the hand lever 45 to the latch member 58 and imparts movement from the hand lever to the latch. When the hand lever 45 is compressed against the lever 5|, the latch 53 is drawn upwardly in the slot 44, thus permitting the latch to move over the top of the quadrant and upon release thereof the latch 43 will engage the nearest notch 40.

A rigid link 48 is pivotally attached at 48 to the lever arm 4| and extends rearwardly as shown in Figures 1 and 2 to a pivotal connection at 5i) on the upper portion 31 of the bell crank arm 35. The hand lever 4| is positioned relatively close to the tractor operator, who sits in the seat l3, and when he desires to raise the gathering points he moves the lever 4| rearwardly over the quadrant 49 thus pushing rearwardly on the outwardly extending portion 3? of the arm 35 causing the lower portion 38 of the arm and the other bell crank arm 36 to move forwardly. The bell crank arm 35, in addition to moving forwardly moves upwardly so that the gathering points are raised by reason of the intermediate member 32. In order to make the operators job of raising the gathering points easier, a counterbalancing spring l2| joins the upper end of the bell crank lever arm 35 at I22 to a rigid support on the wheeled truck at I23. The weight of the corn picker gathering points is therefore considerably offset by the action of the spring tending to lift the points and assist the operator when he is moving the operating lever 4| rearwardly. Simultaneously with the operator moving the lever 4| rearwardly, a link attached to the lower portion 38 of the arm. moves forwardly causing disengagement of the clutch 52.

The rear end of the trail-behind corn picker is equipped with a receiving hopper 53 and a wagon or discharge elevator 54. The wagon elevator 54 is-driven by the sprocket 55 as shownin Figure 3 and is adapted to elevate harvested ears of corn through the elevator 54 where they are deposited in a wagon or other receptacle. The clutch 52 is mounted on the transverse shaft 55. A sprocket 51 is fastened to one of the clutch members 58 which is journaled over the transverse shaft 56. As best shown in Figure 2, a shaft 59 is driven from the tractor power take-off through the gear box 25. Sprockets 60 and GI are keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft 59 and by means of chains 62 and 63 rotational drive from the tractor power take-off is imparted to the several elements of the corn picker harvester. The chain 62 extends around sprockets 5? and 60 and thus rotational drive is given to the clutch element 58. A cooperative clutch element 64 is splined or otherwise fastened to the shaft 56 for movement longitudinally of the shaft toward and away from the other clutch element 58. A spring 55 tends to normally maintain the clutch elements 58 and 64 together and thus drive from the sprocket 51 is imparted to the shaft 56 and thereupon to the elevator driving sprocket 55.

A structural frame member 66 is welded or otherwise fastened at 61 to the side walls ofthe corn picker 29. A bell crank member 68 is pivoted at 59 on the frame member-66 and comprises-- 4 arms 10 and II. The arm II is joined by the link 5| previously stated to be attached to the lower extension 38 of the bell crank arm 35. As the link 5| moves forwardly the extreme end of the arm ill moves outwardly away from the side walls of the corn picker. The arm iii is provided with a roller 12 which is adapted to; engage a flange '13 mounted integrally with the clutch element 64. The fact that there is no rigid connection between the roller 12 and the clutch element 64 makes-it possible for the bell crank arm 10 to efiect disengagement of the clutch element 64 from the elements 58 through the small arouate movement occasioned by its pivotal movementabout the pin fifi.

The bell crank arm 1| is in the form of an angle member having an -upwardly extending flange H to which is attached the link 5| through the medium of a bolt 15. The bolt head 76 is positioned on the inside of. the flange I4 and thus forward movement of the link Shea-uses a corresponding forward movementzofi. the "bolt 15'; The bolt passes through an'openingnin the flange Mcsufficientso that the bolttshank may readily.

slide therethrough. Spacedfrom the attachment of the bolt to the flange 141is an opening Ti in the flange which is for the purpose of receiving a locking pin 78 as best shown=inFigures 3 and'4. When the lever 4| is moved-rearwardly.the link 5| moves forwardly; .as previously. stated swinging the bellcrankfifi: about its'i'rpivotzellu "The hole "H in the flange Hbecomes.alinedawithzthe locking pin '18 at a timewhen thecl-utchz. elements.

58 and 54 are completeyseparatedx- Theulocking pin l'Bis G-shaped,v as shown insfigure igand the lower arm l9: is provided withr-a c'ollar' 8.1 fixedly held by a pin:;8| and-havingia'asurroundr-z ing spring 82 which normally tencs:to"move :the collar andthus the entire-docking.p-infiiilt ina rightward direction, as viewed in Figure 4;:thus causing the pin 18 toengage. the aperture 17;. The pin 18 is journally mountednin a. plate member 18 which is welded as shownnat; 1.8 .to" the fixed member 56. The member;fifiand-thexpiate 78 are thus integral parts of; the supporting. frame of the harvesting machine. I

When the gathering; .points a forward movement 0f"|7hB."l6V.8l-i4|, the nlinkitl' tee-li gagement of the .clutch elements 5.8:and fi ter the reason that the bolt!ErmereIy-islidesrthrough" moves rearwardy but does .notir-acau the enlarged aperture. in 'zthe rflange I-t awith'out forcing the beil'crankrfifl to rotale atout its-piv' 0t 69. It will thus be *seen -that althoughthe gathering points are 'now in position for; r'esum ing gatheringand picking operation, the wagon elevator is not functioning; rsln-tmfningta corn picker at theend of rows of cornt being picked," the first operation is to raisert-the zgatl ieringa.

points and to begin turningz the implement. 1 The forward portion of the machine arrives in its about-face direction considerablyprior to the final arriving of the:wagon*elevator to 'a- 'straight' line position with' respect to-the front-' on-the corn. picking implement. Hrice,-" it is desirable to postpone wagon elevator operation until'su'chtime as the wagon is positionedbeneath thelevator. corn picker' need only raise his points to -effect disengagement of the wagon elevator drive when turning"the implement' around. J However; when he resumes picking corn he"'does""n'ot start his wagon elevator: until such time as the wagon'is in proper position beneath r the discharge per- A flexible cable or tion of the wagon elevator.

The operator of this tractor trailing rope 83 has its forward portion removably fastened to the seat post 84 of the tractor and extends rearwardly to a fixed attachment with the bight portion 65 of the locking pin 18. The operator after turning waits until such time as the wagon is in a straight line relationship with the implement and then pulls on the rope 83 causing the locking pin 78 to become disengaged from the aperture l! in the flange I4 of the bell crank arm El and immediately permitting the spring 65 to move the clutch element 64 into reengagement with the clutch element 58, whereupon drive it cm the power take-off shaft to the wagon elevator is resumed.

The chain 63 carries drive fro-m the sprocket 6I upwardly to a sprocket 96 mounted on the pivot shaft 36 of the entire corn picker 29. The remaining elements of the corn picker receive their drive from the jack-shaft 39 which is driven by the chain 63.

A modified construction of the corn picker controls of this invention is shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7. A tractor draw-bar is shown at 81 and a hitch frame 88 is shown attached thereto by a pin 89, corresponding to the pin 83 shown in Figure 1. The trailing implement frame 63 is supported at its rear end by a wheeled truck 96. A corn picker 9% having gathering points 92 at the forward end thereof is pivoted at its rear about the shaft 93 which is fixedly supported on and above the wheeled truck 99. The corn picker 9| is adapted to snap the ears of corn from their stalks and deposit the snapped ears in a hopper 94 which communicates with a wagon elevator 95 for conveying the snapped cars from the implement to a trailing wagon or other receptacle. The corn picker mechanisms are operated by a power take-on from a tractor drawing the implement such as shown in Figure 1. A driving shaft 96 is shown telescoping a correspondingly shaped sleeve 9? which carries the rotational drive from the tractor take-off to a universal joint 99. A driving shaft 99 thereupon imparts drive from the universal joint 98 to a gear box I99. This gear box contains gearing, not shown, to elfect rotational drive of the transverse shaft I9I extending laterally from the gear box I66 at right angles to the input shaft 99. Sprockets I92 and IE3 are keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft I9I and by means of chains I94 and I96 the sprockets I66 and I67 are rotatably driven. The sprocket I96 is fastened to a shaft I66 which carries the drive to the wagon elevator 99. The sprocket I! is mounted on the jack-shaft 93 about which the corn picker pivots and the picker elements receive their drive from this shaft 93.

A quadrant I69 is fixedly mounted near the forward end of the implement frame 66 and has pivotally attached thereto an operating lever III This lever corresponds to the lever 4|, shown in Figure l, and by reason of the connecting link III rearward swinging of the operating lever H9 causes a rotational movement of the bell crank lever H2 about its pivotal attachment II 3 on the frame 96, thus causing a raising of the bell crank arm I I4 and thereupon the lifting link H5 which engages the underside of the gathering points 62 and raises them with respect to the ground about the pivot shaft 93. As in the case with the lever 4| the operating lever III! is equipped with a latch pin H6 which engages the notches II? in the upper surface of the quadrant I09 to maintain the lever in fixed position with respect to the quadrant. A hand engaging lever II8 pivotally attached at H9 at the upper end of the operating lever Ill] joins with the latch pin II6 by a connecting rod I 29 g and arranged and constructed in such a manner that movement of the hand lever I I8 toward the operating lever H6 will cause an upward movement of the latch pin H6 and thus permit swinging movement of the operating lever III) over the upper surface of the quadrant I69. When the lever III] is in the desired position the hand lever IIB isreleased, thus permitting the latch pin H6 to engage the notch III nearest it in that position. The lever H6 is shown in a rearwardly swung position in dashed lines in Figure 5. Raising of the gathering points 32 is facilitated by a counterbalancing spring I24 corresponding to the spring I2I. The spring I 24 extends between the upper end of the arm I25 of the bell crank lever I I2 and a rigid connection on the wheeled truck 99, thus tending to cause a clockwise rotational movement of the bell crank lever II2 about its pivot H3 as viewed in Figure 5. Such a movement assists the operator in raising the gathering points.

During the corn picking operation of the implement, the operating lever IE9 is in the position as shown in Figure 6. At the lower end of the operating lever a latch member I26 is attached for separate pivotal movement about the pin I2'I. An elongated slot I23 is provided in this latch member I26 and a spring I29 normally tends to exert a downward force against an outwardly turned flange I36 on the latch I26. The spring is retained by a collar I3I and reacts downwardly against the latch I26 maintaining the pin I2! in the upper end of the elongated slot I28. As the operating lever H9 is moved rearwardly to the dashed line position, as shown in Figure 5, it carries with it the latch member I26 by reason of the upward extension I32 which contacts the rearward face of the operating lever III]. The latch I26 then assumes the position, as shown in Figure 5, with its lower end I33 positioned behind a stop member I35. As the operating lever II9 moves rearwardly, the latch I26 slides upwardly by reason of its lower inclined surface I34in the slot against the action of the spring I29 and immediately upon passing over the stop I35, the latch is moved downwardly by the spring I29 causing the rear face of the latch I26 to become locked forwardly of the stop. A second latch operating lever I33 is pivotally attached to the upper end of the operating lever III] at I3! and is adapted to pull upwardly. on a connecting rod I38 when the hand latch lever I36 is compressed against the operating lever H6, thus causing an upward movement of the latch member I26 inasmuch as the connecting rod I38 is attached to the outwardly extending flange I39 of the latch member I26.

A link I39 engages the lower end of the latch I26 and extends rearwardly to a laterally extending arm I49 of a bell crank lever I4! which is pivotally attached at I42 to a supporting arm I43 welded or otherwise fastened at I44 to the side walls I45 of the corn picker 9E. The bell crank lever I4I has a longitudinally extending arm I46 journally supporting a roller I47 at its rear end.

A clutch I48 having elementsl49 and IE9 are normally maintained in driving relationship by the spring I5! reacting against a collar I52 fixedly mounted on the shaft I69. The sprocket I96 is fixedly attached to the sleeve clutch element I49 and thus imparts drive to the shaft I66 through the other clutch element I50 which is splined for driving and sliding movement with respect to the shaft H38. The clutch element I50 has an enlarged collar I53 against which the roller Ml actuates, causing separation of the clutch elements I49 and $58 when the bell crank lever lfii is rotated about its axis of rotation M2. The shaft I98 carries a driving sprocket 55 for operation of the wagon elevator endless conveyor not shown.

It will be apparent therefore that as the gathering points 22 are raised, the drive for the wagon elevator is disengaged through the separation of the clutch elements we and i513, These clutch elements remain separated, as shown in Figure 5,

when the latch i2& is locked forwardly of the stop I35. In Figure 5 the gathering points have been lowered but the wagon elevator has not yet re-" sumed operation. As stated above in describing the operation of the preferred form, it is desired to withhold operation of the wagon elevator after the lowering of the gathering points until such time as the trailing Wagon becomes alined with the discharge spout of the wagon elevator. At this time the hand lever eifecting operation of the latch member 26 is pulled against the operating lever H9 causing an upward movement of the latch I26 so that the pin 12? moves downwardly into the elongated slot i28, permitting the spring 15! in the clutch M8 to move the clutch members 149 and I59 together and thus force the bell crank lever M! in a counterclockwise movement about its pivot M22, as viewed in Figure 7, thus causing reengagement of the wagon elevator drive.

The operation of both of the devices shown is quite similar. Both of them perform the function of automatically disengaging the operation of the wagon elevator upon raising of the gathering points, but both provide that the wagon elevator shall not be automatically reengaged and reengagement of the elevator drive must be by manual action of the operator. In the device, as shot/"11in Figures 1 to l, the manual operation takes the form of pulling on the actuating cable or rope 83, whereas in the device of Figures 5 to '7 the reengagement of the elevator drive is accomplished by compressing the hand lever l38 on top of the main operating lever H9.

Many details of construction maybe varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles disclosed herein and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a field harvesting machine including a supporting frame, one portion of said machine having vertically adjustable means to harvest field crops and another portion of said machine having conveyor means on the supporting frame to discharge harvested crops, means for driving said conveyor means, a spring-held clutch in said driving means, a first bell crank pivotally mounted on said supporting frame and having one arm thereof arranged and constructed to raise and lower said harvester portion, a second bell crank pivotally mounted on said supporting frame having one arm thereof arranged and constructed to disengage the spring-held clutch in said conveyor driving means, a lever hingedly mounted on said supporting frame, connecting rods joining said lever and the other of each of said pivotally mounted bell cranks and said connecting rods constructed and arranged to effect rotation of said cell cranks through a certain direction of rotation upon swinging --0'f said lever through a predetermined direction, a latch arranged and constructed'to hold said sec-;

ond bell crank immovable upon its attainment ofhaving vertically adjustable means to harvest field crops and another portion of said machine having conveyor means on the supporting frame to discharge harvested crops, means for driving said conveyor means, a spring-held clutch in said driving means, a first bell crank pivotally mounted on said supporting frame and having one arm thereof arranged and constructed to raise and lower said harvester portion, a second bell crank pivotally mounted On said supporting frame having one arm thereof arranged and constructed to disengage the spring-held clutch in said conveyor driving means, a lever hingedly mounted on said supporting frame, connecting rods joining said lever and the other arms of each of said pivotally mounted bell cranks and said connecting rods constructed and arranged to eifect rotation of said bell cranks through a certain direction of rotation upon swinging of said lever through a predetermined direction, a latch arranged and constructed to hold said second bell crank immovable upon its attainment of a predetermined position, and said lever arranged and constructed to rotate only the first tion, said last named means including means for retracting said latch, whereby the clutch reengages by action of its spring.

3. In a field harvesting machine including a supporting frame, one portion of said machine having vertically adjustable means to harvest field crops and another portion of said machine having conveyor means on the supporting frame to discharge harvested crops, means for driving said conveyor means, a spring-held clutch in said driving means, a first bellcrank pivotally mounted on said supporting frame and having one arm thereof arranged and constructed to raise and lower said harvester portion, a second bell crank pivotally mounted on said supporting frame having one arm thereof arranged and constructed to disengage the spring-held clutch in said conveyor driving means, a lever hingedly mounted on said supporting frame, connecting rods joining said lever and the other arms of each of said pivotally mounted bell cranks and said connecting rods constructed and arranged to effect rotation of said bell cranks through a certain direction of rotation upon swinging of said lever through a predetermined direction,

a latch arranged and constructed to hold said by action of its spring, said latch directly assoei ciated with said second bell crank lever and having a spring-held locking pin adapted to engage alined apertures in said bell crank and said frame, and said means for retracting said locking pin including a cable.

4. In a field harvesting machine including a supporting frame, one portion of said machine having vertically adjustable means to harvest field crops and another portion of said machine having conveyor means to discharge harvested crops, means for driving said conveyor means, a spring-held clutch in said driving means, a first bell crank pivotally mounted on said frame and having one arm thereof arranged and constructed to raise and lower said harvester portion, a second bell crank pivotally mounted on said frame having one arm thereof arranged and constructed to disengage the spring-held clutch in said conveyor driving means, a lever hingedly mounted on said supporting frame, connecting rods joining said lever and the other arms of each of said pivotally mounted bell cranks and said connecting rods constructed and arranged to rotate said bell cranks in one direction upon swinging of said lever in one direction, a latch arranged and constructed to hold said second bell crank immovable upon its attainment of a predetermined position, and to permit rotation of only the first bell crank in the opposite direction upon swinging movement of said lever in the opposite direction, means for causing rotation of the second "of said bell cranks in the opposite direction, said last named means including means for retracting said latch, whereby the clutch reengages by action of its spring, said latch pivotally associated with said hinged lever and having an elongated slot therein, a stop mounted on said frame, spring means for normally urging said latch in an extended position behind said stop when the second bell crank is in its predetermined position, and said means for retracting the latch including a rod extending from the latch to the top of the lever and arranged to pull said latch upwardly in said elongated slot.

JOHN L. AASLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 958,710 Biggert, Jr. May 17, 1910 972,910 Pippen Oct. 18, 1910 1,346,322 Lewis et a1. July 13, 1920 1,821,543 Coultas Sept. 1, 1931 2,149,262 Ahler Mar. 7, 1939 2,255,168 Hyman et a1 Sept. 9, 1941 

